My old SD1 V8 - Cowleys Resto

[EssDeeWon]

Owned by me from 2006 to 2011 with one dear old lady owner from new, Rover 3500 Auto in turmeric bought new from the local BL dealer in Leigh on Sea, Mann Egerton in May 1979.

 

I used to see this going about in Westcliff on Sea where I lived as a kid and youngster so I knew the old dear driving it around must live close, it was used for local hops often with other giffers on board going shopping or to coffee mornings etc. I then went quite a long time not seeing it about thinking maybe it had done its time and 'gone'   but in 2005 I was given a tip off about where the car lived so I strolled past and behind a slightly open garage door was this yellow SD1 (For the locals reading this it was in Victoria Avenue near Priory Park) Bingo it still lives, I posted a note through the door enquiring about the Rover, had a call back to say its not for sale even though she had bought a new Astra in 2002 the Rover was remaining in the garage, fair enough life goes on...

 

One day at my grans in 2005 she tells me she went to some old womens coffee evening thing with her friend, I asked how she got there, she said her friends friend drove and picked them both up, she went on to say "she was a very nice lady, lives on Vic Avenue by the park (Surely not the old lady with the Rover I thought) after asking my nan to describe where this lady said she lived it sounded like the same house almost to where the yellow Rover lived   It was!! Anyway to cut a long story abit shorter I became the owner in 2006, the old lady was moving and decided to take only one car so the Rover finally had to go, but to a good home so in April 2006 I went round cash on hip and bought this;

 

 

Owned it for 5 years, passed it's MOT's but was not used a lot and mostly garaged. Only trouble was the Lucas dizzy went so I had all the ignition system replaced, Oh and the brake Master Cylinder went too. Loved owning it but the bodywork needed attention in all the areas you cannot see and having moved out I really needed to move it on, not wanting to go down the fleabay route I contacted the SD1 club and for a fiver I could advertise it in their mag and online, Great, so a week or two pass and this SD1 collector chap calls from Inverness saying he wants a yellow series 1 but i'm in Essex and his the top of Scotland. I sent loads of pics and he buys it blind, sends the money down to secure the car recorded delivery, I agreed to keep the car on the drive until he can get it picked up, which 3 weeks later he did;

 

 

 

New keeper was happy with it and soon got down to sorting out the rust, he was good enough to keep me posted and send updates, top bloke, here is the work in 2011;

 

Then a few months later onto;

 

 

Turns out this guy bought this because he was a huge fan of the Professionals and had MOO 229R on retention!! Hence it was transferred on to this car when it went back on the road later in 2011 while FHJ 794T is now on retention;

 

So I could not of found a better buyer for this really, it still resides in his collection locked up in Inverness, I am told its had some more work done since and is now a V8 manual, to be continued in the next couple of days...

[eddyramrod]

Owned by me from 2006 to 2011 with one dear old lady owner from new, Rover 3500 Auto in turmeric bought new from the local BL dealer in Leigh on Sea, Mann Egerton in May 1979.

 

 

So I could not of found a better buyer for this really, 

is now a V8 manual,

 After all that inspiring tale, he did what????????????  I hope the old dear haunts the pair of you.  Him for doing it and you for selling it to someone who would.

[Bren]

After all that inspiring tale, he did what????????????  I hope the old dear haunts the pair of you.  Him for doing it and you for selling it to someone who would.

The V 8 sd1 is one of the few cars where the auto is as pleasant as the manual.

[EssDeeWon]

lol! She will be fine, although I was surprised when he told me that but the cars in good hands and remains. Most important...

[EssDeeWon]

The V 8 sd1 is one of the few cars where the auto is as pleasant as the manual.

 

I found the manual hard work around town, but the Auto was lovely and FHJ had a nice BW box which worked well but thumped into reverse sometimes...

[Pete-M]

SD1 manual is one of very few V8 cars where manual works.

[Skizzer]

Mine's a manual too, and I rather like it - it's a nice positive shift. Plus, being a V8, if you're bored of changing gear you can just go everywhere in third.

 

Lovely car and great that the new owner kept you posted, something I plan to do with mine. One of its previous keepers tracked down the original buyer, but sadly he had died a few weeks previously. The letters are all in the (massive) history file.

 

IIRC Cowley's car was really MOC229P, made into MOO229R with two bits of insulating tape. It was also John Steed's chariot in The New Avengers without the tape. [/geek]

[EssDeeWon]

Mine's a manual too, and I rather like it - it's a nice positive shift. Plus, being a V8, if you're bored of changing gear you can just go everywhere in third.

 

Lovely car and great that the new owner kept you posted, something I plan to do with mine. One of its previous keepers tracked down the original buyer, but sadly he had died a few weeks previously. The letters are all in the (massive) history file.

 

IIRC Cowley's car was really MOC229P, made into MOO229R with two bits of insulating tape. It was also John Steed's chariot in The New Avengers without the tape. [/geek]

 

Yes that is correct about the same car MOC229P and MOO229R, although the car in the professionals had the same number plate it wasn't always the same car as BL kept taking it back, one episode shows Cowley pulling off with clover trims, then driving along with alloys then pulls up and the clover trims are back on the SD1 lol!!

[EssDeeWon]

Hi it is now confirmed that my old SD1 FHJ794T now MOO229R will feature in the Spring addition of Practical Classics which comes out this week, Thursday I think. There was a photoshoot and feature on the Professionals cars. The old Rover was trailered down from Inverness for the photoshoot a few weeks ago to where much of the programme was filmed.

 

I dont usually buy PC (or any car mags) but will make an exception this month.